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SALARIES BILL 1968
Second Reading Speech by the Prime Minister,
the Rt. Hon. J. G. Gorton 27 NOVEMBER 1968
I move that the Bill be now read a second time.
This Bill arises from the Government's decision to
increase the salaries of $ 15, 000 and $ 17500 for Permanent Heads
of Departments of State and certain Statutory offices and to provide
for the payment of annual allowances additional to these salaries.
The new salaries will be $ 19, 500 and $ 22, 750 and the annual
allowanceswill be 1, 000 and 500 respectively, with effect from
1 December 1968. The Bill provides the new salaries and allowances
for the holders of the Statutory offices included in the First
Schedule to the Bill and, by an amendment to Section 30 of the
Public Service Act 1922-1967, for the payment of allowances to
Permanent Heads. The existing salaries of these senior officers date
from 1 November 1964. During this period there have been many
changes in other salaries in the Commonwealth Service, including
the substantial increase of December 1966 in the Second Division.
The margin between the Permanent Head's salary of $ 15, 300 and
the highest Second Division salary has been reduced to only $ 272,
There have also been substantial increases in other comparable
salaries. The annual allowances are for the expenses of office
in which these senior officials are necessarily involved but which,
by their nature, cannot be met by direct re-imbursement. Similar
allowances are paid to senior officers in the New South Wales Public
Service and in related Government employment and, of course, in
many positions in private enterprise.
In reaching its decision, the Government has taken
account of the constantly increasing demands placed upon the
Permanent Heads of the Departments of State and statutory off ice
holders and their very heavy responsibilities in the affairs of our
country. I commend the Bill to the House.